offer you help anymore ?
im a 30 year old borderline personality disorder sufferer, ive been in a real rut.....bad panic anxiety, isolating myself in my flat...only really going out when i have to..
ive not even been answering my phone...ive just shut myself off....im really down, depressed, worried anxious.....have racing thoughts.....thoughts are crowded.
its like i just seem to give up on wanting to deal with people or face them.
so many thoughts racing....wanting to emigrate from the uk...to europe or beyond....wanting a partner....wanting to live in a quiet coastal town...in my own house.....things ive never had in my life.
ive missed alot of appointments over the last couple of weeks...just shutting myself away.....missing appointments with my cpn...and psychiatrist.
really fallen in a rut.
i want to know....because of this, will they refuse me a service ?
has this ever happened to anyone...where theyve not helped because you fell in a rut?
howd you get through ?
2007-12-21 02:20:06 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Mental Health
As my old supervisor used to say - there's no such thing as a bad patient - just a bad care plan! Don't worry about the fact that you find it difficult to engage with services - they're used to it, and if people didn't have problems, then they'd be out of a job.
It sounds like you might be registered with a community mental health team (if you have a diagnosis), so give them a call and explain the situation. I'm sure they're stretched in terms of resources, but meeting you halfway or doing home visits is still in their remit, so you can ask for those while you're building up your confidence. Ask for a care-coordinator that you get on with and "fit" with - although if you have bordeline PD I guess you have problems with making lasting relationships etc? How severe are your problems at the moment, in terms of self-harming etc?
Many team can get frustrated with borderline pd sufferers because they don't understand issues around perceived abandonment etc, so you might have to give them some slack rather than get angry with them (although I'm not saying you do that).
Also, remember that there are also service users who are much less likely to engage than you (at least you seem to want to!). There are other teams who might be better suited - Crisis / Home Treatment teams can provide a more intensive service to your home, and Assertive Outreach Teams specifically tailor a service to people who will not actively engage with mental health services (including the homeless population).
My advice would be to call your care-coordinator and explain your problems - if anxiety or depression mean that you find it difficult then they should understand that.
Ironically, I have the time to type this because I'm waiting for a mental health client that hasn't turned up to his session!
Good luck!
2007-12-21 02:32:06 · answer #1 · answered by christiaanmorgan 2 · 6⤊ 1⤋
I really don't mean to be harsh but yes they can refuse to see you. As the previous answer said, the cost of missed NHS appointments in both money and time is massive. It also means someone who needed that appointment may have missed out.
I appreciate it is difficult for you but if you don't let your mental health team know what is happening and you just don't turn up for your appointments, how can they help you? You really need to go back to the GP, take someone you trust with you for support, and ask if he will re-refer you to a psychiatrist and if he will explain what has happened. I'm sure he will be only too willing to help. Just remember though, with the best will in the world, medics can only do so much, you have to meet them halfway. Keep at it and you will get there eventually.
Take care of yourself and good luck.
2007-12-21 02:32:13 · answer #2 · answered by dragondrums 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Dear Count Rochefort
Be pro-active; when you feel able, phone your CPN and explain the situation. They are probably used to such problems and can advise you as to your best course of action.
You are evidently not happy shutting yourself away, so do something to change matters right now.
Visualise your 'rut' like a physical thing, then create a visual ladder to climb out of it. Start on the bottom rung and get climbing - you can do it but maybe you need to pace yourself. Hold on tight as you climb - you can do it. Once you can see over the top of the rut, everything will be clearer so you can see your way ahead. You need others to help you; contact them.
Good luck.
2007-12-21 02:32:12 · answer #3 · answered by Rozzy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Missing too many appointments is a problem because you are the one that needs help. If you do not plan to show up for your appointments, someone else that needs help will certainly agree to keep his/her appointments.
I am so desperate to feel better, I never miss an appointment.
I would not feel better staying home and not taking an active role to help myself. How much do you want to change?
What are you willing to do to bring about that change?
Maybe you are used to the way you are now and do not want to look at your situation from another angle which therapy can help us do.
2007-12-21 06:57:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Dana A Might I ask how your 60 day policy helped mentally ill patients? The criteria for being a mental health patient is that you have mental health problems isn't it? Therefore should perfect timekeeping be expected? Is not missing appointments part of the problem? As a mental health worker myself I would be ashamed of myself if I treated my patients as though they were numbers on an appointment list.
2007-12-21 03:35:12 · answer #5 · answered by bremner8 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
At the mental health center I worked at, we had a policy of cutting someone off services for 60 days if they missed multiple appointments without calling to reschedule or making an effort.
Next time, do them the courtesy of a phone call.
Good luck,
Dana (Counseling M.S.)
2007-12-21 02:59:27 · answer #6 · answered by Dana A 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The mental health association cannot refuse service to anyone based on their condition or reaction to that condition. You need to explain to them what is going on and maybe they can do a house visit or work something out with you. Make sure to explain everything that is going on, only then can you get help.
2007-12-21 03:39:14 · answer #7 · answered by dannyegirl6273 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
In medicine as in many things if you miss many appointments they can and do stop treatments. You either go with the system or not, the penalty is there for you if you don't.
2007-12-21 10:26:47 · answer #8 · answered by Coop 366 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You need a CPN. They will come out to your house to see you there. Speak to your GP about arranging one.
2007-12-21 02:54:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They can - and will - refuse to see you if you cannot keep the appointments. Each missed appointment costs hundreds of pounds. If you cannot get to them, you need to get a CPN to come to you, or get yourself sectioned/addmitted to a psych unit.
2007-12-21 02:24:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 2⤋